🍴 A Budget-Friendly Way Eat Really Well In Columbus

Plus: 🎢 The Lost Amusement Parks Of Columbus

Author

Chelsea Wiley
February 02, 2026

Sponsored by the Greater Columbus Arts Council 🖼️
Explore Columbus through a new lens by checking out the arts-focused event calendar from Art Makes Columbus. Discover the events that bring our community together and experience art made authentically. For more info, head over to columbusmakesart.com.

Hello, February! Chelsea, here.

Dining out this time of year often starts with a familiar mental math. You open a menu, scan the prices, and decide whether tonight is the night or whether cooking at home wins again. That push and pull has been especially real this winter, even for people who love supporting local restaurants. A new program from Columbus Independents is quietly changing that equation, and it might reshape how you plan your next few meals out.

😍 This 1860s Kelleys Island Manor Is The Perfect Weekend Getaway
West Manor on Kelleys Island offers a rare chance to stay inside a beautifully preserved 1860s limestone home that blends rich island history with modern comfort. It’s an inviting home base for exploring the island’s wineries, natural wonders, and laid-back Lake Erie charm.

🎢 The Lost Amusement Parks Of Columbus
Long before Cedar Point road trips, Columbus had its own amusement parks packed with roller coasters, massive swimming pools, dance halls, and big summer energy. Take a look back at the four parks that once defined local fun, and see rare photos of a side of Columbus that’s easy to forget.

Headlines 📰 

🏗️ Dublin officials have approved plans for “All In Dublin,” a 75-unit affordable housing project designed to support adults with disabilities, older residents, and workforce families. Construction is slated to begin this summer, with the inclusive, community-focused development opening in 2027. (NBC4)

🖼️ Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired has spent over a century helping people experience the world through touch and sound. From tactile museum tours to 3D-printed art and Braille books, Clovernook’s programs make creativity and culture accessible to all Ohioans and remind us that art belongs to the whole community. (ArtsMidwest)

🏒 The Columbus Blue Jackets are on fire, winning their season-high fifth straight game with a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Since Rick Bowness took over as coach, the team has gone 8-1-0, with strong performances from Kent Johnson, Damon Severson, and goalie Jet Greaves keeping the momentum rolling. (NHL)

🌤️ Weather: 29 and mostly cloudy, with a chance of flurries before 10 a.m., then a chance of snow, mainly between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Coming Up This Week 📆

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🌃 Have a fantastic Monday, Columbus! And try to enjoy any temperatures above 20 degrees!

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- Chelsea